Don’t get us wrong, we love a bomber-trench-peacoat hybrid made from neoprene designed to make you look like an extra from Mad Max as much as the next person. We really do. But there’ll always be room in our wardrobe for a trench or three. And Saturdays NYC know how to make a great one. Coats aside, they’ve made a steady but rapid progression from third-party brand store to their own range, a magazine, and a collaboration with Colette. We spoke with Colin Tunstall, Josh Rosen and Morgan Collett about all this and more. Check the interview after the leap.

When did you decide to go from all third-party brands in the store to your own range?

Tunstall: It was a gradual process. We began with our collection of graphic t-shirts in early 2010, which features new designs each season. In Spring 2011, we launched our first ready-to-wear collection and have continued to integrate new clothing, accessories, and lifestyle pieces ever since. Today, we still stock third-party items alongside the Saturdays collection, but the selection is steadily decreasing and we’re able to be more selective with the products we carry.

Do you see Saturdays NYC more as a store or a clothing brand?

Rosen: Everyone interprets Saturdays in their own way, so the answer varies depending on the customer. For some, Saturdays is the place they grab their morning coffee or conduct a meeting. For others, it’s the shirt on their back, the magazine on their bookshelf, or the bag that carries their essentials to the beach. We want everybody to identify with a part of Saturdays that best fits into their lifestyle.

We’ve noticed that you’ve expanded the outerwear selection. Are there plans to do more?

Rosen: We’re always looking for new ways to expand our selection, whether it be adding new accessories or developing a new technical item, such as our water-resistant Ridge Jacket for spring. For us, the goal is about creating products that are an organic extension of our line and complement the other pieces within the collection nicely.

How important is the magazine to the brand?

Tunstall: It’s difficult to envision Saturdays without the magazine at this point. For us, it serves [as] more than just a creative outlet. It’s essentially another way of communicating what Saturdays is today and an opportunity to form a dialogue with people we admire and spotlight the places and objects that inspire us.

Future plans for the magazine?

Tunstall: At the moment, we’re delving into issue #004 and building a roster of people and subjects we plan on featuring. We’re aiming for the launch to coincide with our five-year anniversary, which will be this coming August.

The bold graphics of the Colette collaboration were quite a deliberate move away from the clean aesthetic you’re known for. Would you incorporate more of that into your own range at some point?

Tunstall: Our overall aesthetic is more minimal, but we experiment with patterns, colors, and graphics each season when it makes sense for the collection. This spring we introduced a few new signature prints, such as the Mineral Print and Mountain Print, which are among our most popular items thus far. It’s about designing patterns and selecting colors that translate nicely on well-executed, wearable clothing.

Would you ever do a direct ‘Endless Summer’ collection? It seems like quite the inspiration.

Collett: It’s hard to say. The Endless Summer is a huge source of inspiration. I grew up watching that film over and over. I can’t really say if we would or would not do a direct collection, but if the opportunity came up to do something with Bruce Brown directly that could have exciting potential.

If you were to open another store, where would it be?

Tunstall: We’re looking both domestically and internationally. Finding the right location and vibe is a big part of any new store. We want the brand to feel like an extension of everything we’ve built and also a new step into what’s next.

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About Titel Media

Titel Media is a wholly independent publisher of online fashion and lifestyle news websites with offices in Berlin and New York City. Our sites - Highsnobiety, Selectism, and LilSnob - cover the latest in new and emerging trends and products in the world of fashion, accessories, art, design, automotive, and much more.